


The Playhouse

by CarryOnMyWaywardCassie



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Actor Dean, Burgers - Freeform, General Awkwardness, Impala, M/M, Movie Night, Musicals, Skittles, Sprite, introvert Cas, leg braking, lots of cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:56:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1882461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarryOnMyWaywardCassie/pseuds/CarryOnMyWaywardCassie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas is an introvert that has season tickets to the local playhouse, Sam works at the concession stand and a mysterious actor catches Cas' eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. chapter 1

Cas turned the last corner and arrived at his favorite place. The Lawrence Musical Playhouse. He stopped to admire the old wooden banisters that led up to the large glass doors. Inside, bright chandeliers lit up the main lobby and ticket counters. Cas smiled. He knew this place from top to bottom. His mother had brought him here when he was little, and after she died Cas couldn't get himself to stop. Now he came to every show. Cas passed the ticket counter and headed towards the concessions, which were a bit more refined than the ones you would find at a movie theater.

"Sam" Cas said warmly to the large man kneeling behind the counter sorting through packaged candy. The man looked up, "Cas! Hey man" Sam greeted, putting a hand through his hair, "How are you man?" 

"I'm good, thank you for asking." Cas replied

"Did you want the usual?" Sam asked, and Cas smiled. "Of course, thank you"

"No problem man," He said, handing Cas a bag of skittles and a Sprite. "Enjoy the show!"

Cas waved goodbye to his friend and made his way to the theater. It wasn't large, there wasn't any stadium seating or anything, but Cas liked the intimate atmosphere. His seat was in the middle of the back row, because he liked to be able to see everyone react to the show as they watched it, and he hated when people talked behind him in theaters. He sat and opened his skittles, flipping through the playbill he picked up at the door. Cas was familiar with most of the actors that performed here, because they usually apart of all of the shows. The play tonight was hairspray, which Cas had seen once with his mother years ago, in the same theater. Looking through out the cast list, Cas knew everyone of the actors except for

"Dean Winchester?" Cas asked himself "I've never heard of him..."

"Hey man, could you be quiet, the shows starting" Cas didn't realize that while he was talking the lights had dimmed. The Man in front of him was right, the show was starting. Cas quietly apologized and settled into a more comfortable position to watch.

He soon forgot about the unknown actor, getting wrapped up in the story unfolding on stage. He had seen the movie plenty of times, so he mouthed all the words and even hummed along until an old lady next to him nudged him with an elbow. Then, halfway into the third scene Cas stopped breathing. A tall freckled dirty blonde that Cas had never seen before had joined the other actors on stage. _He's gorgeous._ Thought Cas, unable to move his eyes from the man, who had just jumped onto a table in mid song. And _man_ could he sing. It had been all of 10 seconds, and Cas was totally smitten. 

Then, as soon as the man appeared, he was gone, and Cas was more disappointed than he should have been. _he's probably straight anyway._ Cas tried dismissing the man from his thoughts and enjoy the musical, but he couldn't get those freakin freckles out of his mind. His thoughts took a turn and he found himself blushing. 

_This is ridiculous!_ He had more class than this! He'd never even freakin met the guy! What the heck was he thinking? Cas shook his head, frustrated that he was unable to enjoy one of his favorite musicals, and decided to get some air. 

Out in the lobby, Cas was alone, except for the old cleaning lady, whose name Cas was pretty sure was Beatrice. Nodding politely, he passed her and left the building, into the darkening twilight of a crisp autumn evening. Cas pulled his scarf tighter around his neck and sighed, watching his breathe swirl upwards towards a streetlight. 

"Hey Cas, you're missing the show." 

Cas turned, confused, to find Sam, leaning against the wall behind him with a cigarette between his fingers.

"Those are bad for you, you know." He stated. 

"I know, my brother keeps trying to get me to quit. It's a bad habit." Sam replied. "So I'm guessing that means you don't want one." Sam said, offering Cas the pack of camels in his other hand.

"No, I could get lung cancer." Said Cas. 

Sam laughed, putting the pack away, "Well thanks for making me feel better." Sam dropped his cigarette butt and smashed it with his shoe. "Why are you out here Cas? You never miss the show." 

Cas leaned against the lightpole. "I don't know." He lied, "Just, needed some air, I guess."

"Well, I have to get back in there, intermission is about to start, but don't stay out here too long, you'll miss the second half, it's my favorite!" Sam smiled and left Cas alone in the cold. 

Sam was right. He wasn't gonna let one guy interfere with his night. _I just need to forget him._ And with that perseverance, Cas straightened and ventured back inside the playhouse.

\-----------------------

The perseverance didn't last long, but Cas understood why Sam liked the second half of the play better. Freckles had two solos, and Cas was mesmerized by each one. It was bad enough that the guy could dance, but _sing_ too? It was like every one of Cas' dream guys he'd thought up of the years. (Hey, he was lonely, get over it.) After the play ended, he stood, clapping and whistling, because not only was freckles good, but all of the actors had done and excellent job. 

Once he pushed past the throngs of senior citizens and was able to exit the playhouse, Cas revisited his playbill. _freckles must be Dean._ he thought, as he walked to his car in the chilly night air. It would probably start snowing soon, but that was alright, Cas didn't mind the snow. Reaching his old prius, he threw his playbill and half drunken sprite in the passenger seat. As he took out his keys, a silhouette moved by his window. He couldn't make out his face, but Cas had stared at the actor long enough to know that it was Dean, or at least he thought that was his name. Cas quickly got in his car and shut the door. His heart quickened, and Cas resisted the urge to slouch in his seat. He watched, frozen, as the man got into an old chevy and drove away. 

Yeah, Cas had it real real bad.

\-------------------------------------------

Cas stumbled into the lobby, tan trenchcoat drenched from the rain, hair windblown and dripping. He was late. 

Cas had been unable to get Dean out of his mind for the past month, and as time drew nearer to the next musical, Cas got more and more nervous about potentially seeing the guy again. If there was one thing Cas was good at, it was social anxiety. 

He was pretty sure that he had spent at least a half an hour standing in front of his bathroom mirror, trying to get his hair to lie flat and to pick the right tie. He went with a dark blue one, that matched his eyes. By the time Cas had decided that his hair was presentable enough, he realised that because of his self conscious grooming, he was going to be late to the play. With his car running on fumes, Cas was forced to run to the LMP in the pouring rain. 

"Well don't you look like a ball of sunshine!" Sam walked up to Cas, and patted him on the back, handing him some skittles and a sprite. "I knew you would make it." 

Cas drew in a breath. "Thank you Sam, what would I do without you?"

"Crash and burn, my friend. Crash and burn." Sam smiled and moved to return to the concession stand. Cas followed.

"How much time do I have 'til the show starts?" 

"About five minutes, if you're lucky." Sam answered, as he started to wipe down the counter.

"Perfect. I will see you at intermission then." Cas held up the food Sam gave him, "And thank you again for this."

"It's my genuine pleasure" Sam replied, "Well that and I do get paid!" Cas chuckled and left his friend behind and made his way to the restroom, hoping to be able to salvage his sopping hair. 

\--------------------------------------------------

Cas stood in front of the mirror, gauging his appearance. He shrugged. There wasn't much he could do at this point except hope his hair dried reasonably sane. He then used the restroom, and while washing his hands, another man came in. The first thing that hit Cas was he smell of some reasonably priced cologne, and aftershave. He tensed. Cas knew who it was, like a sixth sense, or maybe Cas had just been thinking about the guy too often, but he was sure that he was now alone in the bathroom with freckles. 

Cas froze, praying that the man would just go into a stall, and do that mutual silence thing most strangers do when there alone in the same room. He was wrong. 

Dean walked up to him instead, holding out some paper towels."Did you need some of these, I think your hands are clean enough."

Cas didn't move. He felt paralyzed from the waist up. His heart was pounding, and he might have started sweating but he wasn't sure because he was soaking wet already. Especially his hands, which had been under the tap of the sink since before Dean had come in. All he had to do was grab the towels and thank the man, and then get the heck out of there, it seemed so simple. Cas willed himself to turn around and...

He ran. Cas hightailed it passed Dean and out of the bathroom, hands still wet, leaving Dean and the running sink behind him. Cas stopped by the front doors and groaned. He had never been good in social situations, and the only friend he had was Sam really, which he only saw once a month. It was a lonely life, but a stress free one, Cas had never been able to hold up conversation with strangers, especially ones he had a crush one, so he panicked.

_I wonder how long i'll regret that for._ Cas wondered as he made his way towards the theater. He sat down, _totally_ ready to lose himself in some other reality. Then Cas realized that he left his sprite and skittles in the bathroom as well. He rolled his eyes at himself. 

\---------------------------------------------

"Cas! Wait up man!" Sam caught up to his friend just as he reached the front doors of the playhouse, moving faster than usual. 

It had been a month since Cas had had his awkward conversation, type, thing with Dean Winchester, and he wasn't about to let it happen again, going straight to and from the theater, not using the restroom or even visiting Sam at the concession counter. He might have been overreacting, but at least he came. Cas had almost given his ticket away to Gabriel, a coworker at the bookstore he managed. Cas had almost made a clean getaway when he heard Sam call from behind him. _darn it._

Cas turned. "Oh, hello Sam, it's nice to see you but I really have to go..." Cas scanned the lobby behind Sam, knowing that the actors would be coming out any minute.

" Oh, ok. But before you go I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner some time next week? I'm makin burgers!" Sam grabbed Cas' hand and shoved a shoved a scrap of paper into his fingers. " Thursday, five o'clock, here's my address, and if you could bring a side dish that'd be great, because I'm too poor to pay for food for three people."

"Three people?" Cas asked, putting the paper in his pocket. 

" Yeah, my brothers coming, but don't worry, you'll like him." 

Ok lets get something straight. Cas was bad with people. He didn't have any family, or friends, except for Sam, which was a miracle in itself, he doesn't know why Sam actually liked him, he was a weird bookworm with a musical poster collection. He lived alone and kept to himself, but he liked it that way. There was no problem with being alone. Cas had done it his whole life, and it was normal. Now, he had been invited to dinner by his friend, who was more of an acquaintance, and his acquaintance/friend's brother, who Cas doesn't know at all. Name, age, nothing. _Say no._ Thought Cas. _Say no, you won't be able to handle it._

" I'd love to " Said Cas. _GOSH DANGIT CASTIEL. WHY_

"Great! I'll see you then! Bye Cas!" Sam turned and left Cas alone at the front door. _Screwed. I'm so screwed._ Thought Cas as he walked to his car in the rain. Sitting in the drivers seat,he put his head on the steering wheel. "I am so screwed." 


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of Castiel's week was spent in nerves and regret. He tried looking up acceptable side dishes for burgers, but all he found was fries, fries, and fries. He also didn't know what to wear. Was this a formal occasion? What if he showed up in a t-shirt and Sam and his brother were in suits?

Cas' stomach clenched for the tenth time that day. _This_ is why he didn't attend social events, he always made a fool of himself. Once, in high school, he was invited to a party to "help get rid of some weed" so Cas showed up with his best gardening tools.

He wasn't invited again.

Cas maneuvered through the aisles of his local supermarket, finding some fresh potatoes. He figured that fries were just potatoes, so mashed potatoes would probably work alright. Cas was having a difficult time choosing between the yellow or the white potatoes when someone knocked into his shoulder, the spuds in his hands tumbling to the floor.

"Oh hey, sorry man didn't mean to hit you" the man that ran in to Cas said behind him, while Castiel was stooped over, picking up his ingredients. 

"It's quite alright." Cas replied from the ground. "I don't think potatoes bruise." He stood, replacing all of his items into his hand basket, which had also fallen in the collision. Then, he turned.

" Oh po-tat-oes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew!" The man said, and started laughing at his own joke, while Cas just stared at him. "Oh come on! Sam wise? The Lord Of The Rings?" He looked disappointed. 

The taller man stuck out a hand. "I'm Dean, Dean Winchester." 

Castiel blanked. Of course the universe decided to be an utter jerk and put him in this situation again. But, he felt more prepared. He was in a very public place, and there were people around, unlike the playhouse restroom, and he felt a little more confident. 

"Cas-Castiel Novak" He replied, stiffly putting up his arm, returning the hand shake. 

Dean laughed. A deep, throaty laugh, and a cute one too, but Cas was too angered to notice. "What?" He said harshly, dropping his arm. "Are you laughing at my name?" 

"No no, I'm not, I promise" Dean replied, finally gaining his breath. "you're the guy my brother wants to set me up with." 

"Oh." Cas paused. "What, _what?_ " 

"Nevermind." Dean pulled out his phone. " ho, wow, if you're making mashed potatoes, you better get goin, don't want to be late!" 

"How would you kno-?" 

"Come on, you need to check out, I don't want to eat bad potatoes, but do you really think mashed potatoes go with burgers?" Dean ushered Cas to the check out stand, and bought a six pack before Cas got his dinner preparations. 

Castiel went along with the man, unsure of what was really happening. How would Dean, a man he's met like twice, though the first time didn't really count, know that he was making mashed potatoes for a dinner party? Cas squinted, trying to think this through, when he was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. 

"You comin?" Dean had waited for Cas as he checked out. 

"You're very odd." Cas said, walking with Dean into the parking lot. 

"You're calling me odd?" Dean turned to look at Cas. "I offered you paper towels in the bathroom and you freakin ran! I call _that_ odd." 

_He remembers that? Oh god that's so embarrassing._ Cas had hoped that Dean hadn't recognized him, but he was sadly mistaken. His mind went into overdrive immediately wanting to get away from this man and this embarrassment. 

"I- I have to go. Goodbye." Cas turned and speed walked to his car, running from his problems yet again. 

"Wait! What- don't go- ugh." Dean sighed. Cas' car was already halfway out of the parking lot. _That dude is friggin weird. Cute, but weird_ . Dean thought as he walked to his car. 

He smiled. "Tonight, is gonna be fun." \----------------------------------------------------------- 

With potatoes mashed, and personal hygiene done, Cas was almost ready to leave for Sam's. He just had to figure out what to wear. With a t-shirt too casual and a suit he thought too fancy, Cas decided to meet in the middle. He found his black sweater vest and matched it with a white dress shirt and a dark blue tie. He put on his favourite dark jeans and tried to get his hair to work in the mirror. He soon gave up, his hair would never lie flat, choosing instead to look like it had been through a tornado. Oh well. 

Sam's house wasn't hard to find, and Cas found that it was walking distance, much like the theater, if he was in the mood to actually do cardio. He walked up the two flights of stairs that led to the apartment, and double checked the address before knocking on the door. 

"Sam." Cas said warmly when his friend opened the door. 

"Cas, hey come in." Sam moved out of the entryway and Cas found himself in a library. 

"Wow Sam, I didn't know you were this interested in literature." 

Sam laughed. " I'm not, the books are all my uncle's, he was kinda a fairy tale, folk lore buff. When he passed away last year, he left me this apartment, and I just haven't had the heart to get rid of them yet." 

"well I'm sorry to hear that Sam, he sounds like a lovely man." 

"Yeah. Bobby was like a second father to me and Dean" 

Cas froze. "Dean?" 

Sam took the bowl of mashed potatoes from Cas' hands. "Yeah, Dean, he's my brother, the one that's coming tonight." 

"Are you _kidding_ me." Cas deadpanned, "Does the world hate me?" How could he not of figured that out? Dean knew about the dinner and what they were eating and Cas 

couldn't 

put that together? Cas rolled his eyes.

"W-what? do you know each other?" Sam looked confused.

"Oh... uh never mind, I didn't mean to say that outloud." Cas shook his head and sat down on the couch in the living room he and Sam had walked into, which had an awful floral pattern to it. Off the living room, Cas could see the open door to a kitchen, and opposite the entry way was a hallway that Cas assumed led to a bathroom and bedrooms. 

Sam chuckled. "You sound a little flustered Cas, anything you want to tell me?"

"No." Cas said too quickly. He blushed, wringing his hands in his lap. 

"Alright then..." Sam smirked, "He did you want some water?" Sam left Cas on the couch and disappeared into the kitchen. "I would offer beer, but I don't have any yet, Dean is bringing some"

"I know." Cas replied

Sam popped his head through the doorway. "What?"

"I ran into him at the grocery store. Actually, he ran into me." Cas looked up, "He made me drop my potatoes."

Sam laughed, "I'm not even gonna ask." He disappeared again. "So water now or beer later?"

"Water is fine" Cas replied. "I don't normally drink alcohol."

"Oh, alright" 

Just after Sam's reply, there was a knock at the door. "Sammy!" Cas heard a familiar voice.

"That's Dean" Sam called from the kitchen, "Do you mind grabbing the door?"

Cas groaned, but got up anyway and made his way back to the front of the apartment, mentally bracing himself for this whole evening.

He opened the door, and there was Dean, _looking as attractive as ever_ thought Cas. 

"Woah, hey Cas, wasn't expecting you to open the door." Dean shouldered his way in, past Cas, shouting to his brother, "Heya Sammy!"

"Stop calling me that!" Came the response.

Dean smiled, and turned back to Cas. "You look nice, I like your hair." He said before turning and leaving Cas, who was still holding the door open.

He stared after Dean, eyes wide and heart racing. _Oh my god he's gay!_ Thought Cas, and his heart skipped a beat. _No, nope, don't let him do this to you Castiel._ He thought, _He's probably straight. Nobody gets that lucky._

Cas put a hand through his hair, trying to slow his racing heart. He walked back to the living room to find Dean sprawled on the couch, Sam nowhere to be seen. Cas decided to avoid an awkward conversation so he walked past Dean, who was watching some sports program, and walked into the kitchen, to see if Sam needed help.

"Nope! I'm all good!" Replied Sam to Cas' offer. "You're free to go hang out with Dean, the food's almost ready anyway."

_Oh good._ Thought Cas. _Now I have to go communicate with the barbarian._ Cas braced himself, and went back into the living room, choosing to sit in a chair to the left of the couch, also covered in the god-awful floral pattern. Dean had a beer in hand, the other five were on the coffee table.

"Did you want one?" Dean asked, still staring at the television.

"One of what?" Said Cas, who stared quizzically at the man on the couch.

"A beer you dummy."

"Oh, no thank you, I don't drink alcohol. And Sam was supposed to get me water..."

Dean sat up. "You don't drink? Like, at all?"

Cas looked offended. "No, all it does is harm your body, and it tastes awful."

"Ugh, your such a party pooper." Said Dean, and he threw an unopened bottle at Cas. "Here, try it."

Cas caught the bottle with a fumble. "I told you I didn't want any."

"Ya, but I don't care. Come on, down it."

Cas grimaced, but opened the bottle. "This is ridiculous."

Dean looked at Cas, smiling like a third grader. "Do it, do it, do it." He chanted.

"Ugh, you're like a child" Cas said, but he couldn't help but smile at the happy man before him. 

Dean looked on as Cas begrudgingly took a sip of the alcohol,

and proceeded to spit it out onto the floor.

Dean laughed as Cas wiped his mouth, a look of pure disgust on his face. "That was just like a spit take!" Dean said, before falling to the floor in another fit of laughter.

"Why did you make me do that, I told you I don't drink alcohol. That was awful."

Sam decided to enter the picture then, finding Dean and spewed beer on his floor, Cas looking guilty in the armchair. "Cas, I uh, brought you some water."

Cas sighed in defeat and stood. "Thank you Sam, I apologize for the mess, I'll clean that up."

Sam laughed. "Cas it's ok, I got it." He turned to Dean. "Dean get up you're like a freaking child. Go get some paper towels and clean up _your_ mess. I'm pretty sure you were the cause of it."

Dean stopped laughing and heaved himself up. "Geeze Sammy I was just havin some fun" He grumbled. "Someone can't handle fun."

"Oh shove off." Sam and Cas watched Dean leave the room, head hanging low.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of dinner went without a hitch, Cas' mashed potatoes where a hit, and Sam's burgers were amazing. Cas didn't talk much, preferring to listen to the brother's witty banter, which wasn't so much witty, just a bunch of banter. They ate in front of the T.V. , because according to Dean Sam was too poor to afford a table. After they ate, Sam brought out three big bowls of ice cream and suggested a movie. They decided on Pirates Of The Caribbean, because Cas had never seen it, and because Dean thought Keira Knightley was "fiiinnnee", which made Cas' stomach hurt, but he decided to ignore it. The movie was good, and Cas found himself having more fun than he's had, in, forever. The first pirate movie led to the second, and all three men ended up on the couch, blankets and pillows half hazardly strewn across them. Three hours in Dean started snoring, and Cas' eyes started to droop. 

"I," Cas yawned, "probably should get going." He said to Sam, who was still awake.

"Do you have work tomorrow?" Sam asked.

"mmmmm..." Cas had to think for a moment. "N-no, I don't."

"Then you can just stay here." Sam said. "And before you ask, yes, it's alright, you're no trouble."

"Well, if you insist." Cas wasn't gonna pass up the offer of not having to drive home. He closed his eyes, already floating away from the world. "G'night Sam"

"Night Cas." Sam turned, "Dean shut up, you're snoring." He pushed Dean, who then flopped over onto Cas. "uhhh.. Woah!" Dean woke, and blearly opened his eyes to see Cas above him. "Heya Cas" he smiled.

"Dean, you're an idiot." Cas shoved the taller man back into a sitting position.

"Yeah, but I'm a cute idiot." Dean muttered before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Cas just huffed, and turned over, digging deeper into the bedding mess.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good morning Vietnammmm!" Cas was startled awake by Sam's yell, and tried to get up, but was stuck. Dean was on top of him, head in Cas' neck and arm around his waist. Cas' eyes grew wide. "S-Sam."

He laughed. " I know Dean's a cuddler, so I left the couch after you fell asleep. Gave you guys some more room." Sam winked. 

Cas groaned. "Sam get him off me!"

"Nope. That's your problem. Breakfast is ready when you get yourself free." Sam smurked and he left Cas alone with the sleeping giant.

"Dean." Cas said. "Dean get off me. Dean!" Cas shouted and Dean awoke, falling off the couch in his panic. "Jesus Christo! What the heck Cas?"

Cas pushed himself off the couch looking pleased with himself. "You wouldn't move."

"Jerk." Dean said, still laying on the floor.

"Oh, you caught me." Stated Cas as he walked into the kitchen. 

"Ugh." Dean covered his face with a pillow. "That's one sassy Cassy" He mumbled.

"What did you just say?" Cas backpedaled back into the room. 

Dean lifted the pillow. "I Said," Dean launched the pillow at Cas, "That's one sassy Cassy."

The thrown ball of fluff hit Cas square in the face, knocking him back into the wall. For a moment Cas was frozen, and then he calmly picked the pillow up off the floor.

"You son-of-a-" Cas launched into action, throwing himself at Dean, pillow raised with an intention to cause harm.

Dean stumbled to his feet and dodged Cas, running into the kitchen, Cas hot on his heels.

_BOOM. CRASH. BANG._ "GUYS WHAT THE HECK"

"Sorry Sammy!"

_CRACK. SMASH. WHAM!"_ "Oh shi-" 

"OW  &(^; piece of (%3 *# %&!!"

"Sammy! You should probably call an ambulance."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Cas exited the hospital disgruntled and tired. The rough housing at Sam's cost him five hundred dollars and a usable leg. He was tired. Cas searched the hospital lobby for his ride, and not seeing him Cas moved outside, hoping to see Sam's Kia parked out front. Sadly, there was only a few vans and an old black beater in the front parking lot. With a huff, he sat down on a bench.

"Cas! Hey Cas!" _Of course_ . "Dean?" Cas looked up to see his knight in shining armor in the old beater, the top of his body out of the passenger window, waving at him.

Cas stood, wobbly, and grabbed ahold of his crutches, hobbling over to Dean's car. "Where's Sam?"

"Well hello to you too Cas." Dean replied, looking hurt.

Cas glared. "Where is Sam." He repeated.

"He's at work, couldn't make it." 

Cas tilted his head. "Don't you work at the theater? If he's working, then you should be in a musical right now." 

Dean shrugged, opening the car door for Cas to get inside. "I took the day off, I had more important things to do." 

"Like what?" Asked Cas, adjusting his casted leg on the bench seat.

"Taking you out to dinner, of course!" Dean smiled at Cas before starting the engine.

"You broke my leg."

"No I- well... That's why I'm taking you out! To apologize." 

"No offense, but a dinner out with you is the last thing I really want to do right now."

Dean smirked. "Well that's too bad 'cause I'm driven, so there's nothing you can do about it."

Cas rolled his eyes, but knew there was no way out of this. Not willing to fight, he sighed and leaned his head on the window. "Fine."

"Yes! you're gonna love this place, they have the best burgers." Dean kept talking, moving on to cars and then sports, as Cas contently listened.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

After too many rock songs, and listening to Dean's out of tune singing voice, Cas was ready to get some food, away from old cassette tapes. Dean brought him to the dingiest, most run down diner, Cas was afraid to touch the booth seats, but Dean seemed to like it. Cas had to be helped into a booth, he still wasn't used to walking with crutches, and used an old chair to prop up his casted leg. Dean wouldn't let the waitress give Cas a menu, stating that he knew exactly what to get, and would order for the both of them. The waitress nodded expectantly and leaned towards Dean when he ordered, her breasts threatening to fall out of her unbuttoned blouse. Cas rolled his eyes. _Classy. Really._ Dean ignored the girl's advances and ordered two Moosetrack originals, whatever that was. After the waitress left, Dean sat back and looked at Cas.

"So, I know you'te a 'musical enthusiast' " Dean made quotation marks with his fingers at musical enthusiast. " But I don't know that much else about you, except your very fragile.

Cas glared. "You broke my leg. It was your fault."

"Um, no, it was the end table's fault, and someone couldn't get out of the way in time."

Cas rolled his eyes again. "I'm not fighting you on this."

Dean leaned forward. "See, you say that, but you came at me with a killer look in your eye when I called you Cassy."

"Don't, call me that." Cas' jaw clenched.

"And why not?" Dean asked

"Because my brother called me that, before he was killed in a car accident."

Dean's eyes widened "Oh. Uh.. I'm really sorry about that, I didn't know"

Cas sighed, "It's alright, nobody knows... I've, never told anyone that." 

" I guess that makes me special, huh Cas?" Dean smirked, and Cas returned it.

"I don't know, I guess we'll have to see." Cas thought he saw Dean blush, but he couldn't tell under all the freckles. 

Dean picked up the glass of water the waitress had just set in front of him. "So what do you do for a living Cas?" 

"I'm a librarian." 

Dean had ordered Cas a beer out of spite, and he picked it up with distaste. 

"How 'bout, we trade." Cas said, pushing the beer away from him and towards Dean. 

"Oh come on, this is a different brand, you might actually like this stuff." He was about to continue to argue, but Cas' glare changed his mind. "Ok, ok, switch." 

"Thank you" Said Cas, picking up the water. 

"So a librarian, huh? You're kinda a nerdy little guy, aren't ya?" Dean took a swig of beer. 

Cas squinted, which Dean noticed Cas did alot. "I'm, going to take that as a complement." He said, before turning and noticing that the food was coming. They waited patiently as the same waitress set down their plates, which were sky-high full of fries, with a burger in the middle. Cas looked at Dean, who was practically salivating at the food before him, when he noticed the waitress, "Kathy", Cas read her name tag, was slipping a piece of paper under Dean's plate. A flash of jealousy blazed through Cas. Woah, wait, what? _I better not be friggin fallin for this guy. He's not even that great. He only sings, dances, is freakin gorgeous, and is super funny._ Crap. 

Cas sighed, and Dean looked up. "Is everything ok? Do you not like fries? Cause if you don't, then i'll eat yours!" 

Cas laughed, and shook his head. "No no, their great, and i'm fine, i was just thinking." 

"About what?" Dean asked between mouthfuls. 

"About you." Cas decided to answer truthfully. 

Dean stopped eating. "What about me?" 

Cas took a deep breath. "I don't know, just, why do you care about me so much? There was no reason to take me out to dinner, you could have just dropped me at my house. I have ran away from you, twice. And yet, here you are, still making jokes, and being a really nice person even though I really don't deserve it." 

Dean looked at Cas, seeming to study the man's confused look on his face before smiling. "Cas. You're the oddest person I have ever met. You're socially awkward, dress up for EVERYTHING, and don't seem to understand humor, at all. " Cas looked hurt. "But, " Dean kept going, " you're are also the most interesting, funny guy i've ever met. You ran away from me twice, and each time it just made me want to get closer to you, to make you not want to run away anymore. I'd rather you be running to me than away from me." Dean said with a smile. 

_Holy Crap_ . No one had ever told Cas anything like that before. He had always been the weirdo, the last kid picked in a kickball game, and guy without a date to prom. Nobody had ever cared. Ever. 

"I see you're still processing that information." Dean picked up his plate. "So let me help you along." He grabbed the scrap of paper that the waitress had left behind, and called her over. 

"Do you need anymore help sir?" She asked, in a too chipper voice. 

"Yes i'd like to ask for the check." She nodded, " And i'd like to give you this back." Dean held up the piece of paper, which held Kathy's cell phone number.

"Because I'm gay." 

Both the waitress and Cas froze, though Cas was already quite frozen beforehand. Kathy quickly took the paper from Dean and disappeared into the kitchen, embarrassed. 

Cas finally found the ability to speak. "You're gay?" He squeaked out. 

"Yup." Dean replied, and shoved his burger in this mouth.

"Oh." Cas said, his mind had stopped working, shock and happiness clogging this thoughts. 

Dean swallowed his food. " Oh and Cas?" 

He looked up, "yeah?" 

"This is a date." 

Cas blushed, and smiled down at his shoes. 

"Ok."


End file.
